Quick-acting valve mechanism for flush tanks



y 1954 R. G. MUTTI 2,683,462

QUICK-ACTING-VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed Dec. 30, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 1954 v I R. G. MUTTI 2,683,462

QUICK-ACTING VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed Dec. 30, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I I v I INVENTOK J4 kbfgJ/aZ/i.

ATTORNEY Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QUICK-ACTIN G VALVE MECHANISM FOR FLUSH TANKS 7 Claims.

This invention relates to quick acting valve mechanism for flush tanks.

While various forms of valve means have heretofore been used or proposed for controlling the discharge of water into a toilet tank as well as the associated bowl, from a water inlet pipe, the valve equipped tanks now in general use in homes are essentially of the same construction.

Such tanks now in use are provided with a water supply pipe which extends through the bottom of the tank to a substantial distance thereabove. The water supply pipe is provided with a water discharge pipe and a bowl refill tube both of which communicate with a valve controlled chamber adjacent the upper end of the water supply pipe and the valve is operated by a float.

The tank is in most instances further provided with an overflow pipe and a ball controlled opening leading to the bowl, and which ball is operative by a hand lever accessible externally of the bowl.

In the operation of such usual forms of tanks, the lever is tripped thereby raising the ball with a resulting discharge of the volume of water in the tank into the bowl for flushing same. The float descends with the lowering level of the water in the tank during such discharge of the water into the bowl, as does the ball to close the discharge opening.

The float in its descent opens the valve controlling the chamber with which the discharge pipe and bowl refill tube communicate, thereby admitting water into the tank for a succeeding flushing operation while the refill tube discharges a relatively small volume of water into the bowl. As the tank fills, the float rises and gradually closes the valve controlling said chamber, the float rising slower as it approaches its valve closed position for the reason that the volume of water being admitted through the valve is successively reduced as the valve approaches its closed position.

While this form of flush tank has met with substantial satisfaction from the standpoint of proper flushing of the bowl, objection has nevertheless been voiced to the noise resulting from the relatively long period required for complete closing of the valve, particularly due to the relatively small amount of water passing through the valve as it approaches its closed position and which produces a hissing noise. a

The above noted gradual cut-ofi of the water supply valve with the resulting noise occasioned thereby has resulted in efforts to provide a quick acting valve between the water supply pipe and the water discharge pipe and one of which efforts has resulted into a Patent No. 1,694,072, December 4, 1928.

While the construction disclosed in this patent provides for rapid cut-off of the water supply by means of a water pressure floating valve in addition to a float controlled valve, the objection to noise due to the gradual cut-off of the discharge of water into the tank may have been substantially reduced but no provision has been made to reduce the time required for filling the tank and in which operation, some noise necessarily prevails.

It is accordingly 2. primary object of this invention to provide for filling a flush tank with water in the absence of hissing noise accompanying gradual closure of a discharge valve as well as to substantially reduce the period of time required for the tank filling operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide valve mechanism for a flush tank having a water supply pipe, which includes a float controlled valve for a water discharge pipe communicating with the supply pipe, and a water pressure operable valve in the supply pipe above said discharge pipe controlling the discharge of water through a second discharge pipe communicating with the supply pipe as well as a bowl refill tube communicating with the supply pipe.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view as observed substantially on the plane of line ll on Fig. 2;

means of a swivel nut [3.

The lower end of pipe section l is threaded at l4 for extension through the base of a flush tank T and connections are made as is usual from the water supply with said threaded end 44.

Furthermore, the section it is provided with a flange l5 between which and the base of tank T is disposed a washer i6 as in common practice.

The water supply pipe section H is provided with a water discharge pipe I! extending from adjacent the upper end thereof and which may as shown be integral with section H or detachably connected thereto. The discharge pipe I! is preferably of arcuate form except adjacent its free lower end where it includes a relatively short vertical portion Ii whose free end is flared radially outwardly to provide a ball valve seat IS.

A second ball valve seat I9 is removably disposed within a countersink 2c in the upper end of pipe section II and is removably retained in position by means of the lower end of pipe section I2 and the nut l3.

The upper end of pipe section i2 is provided with a cap nut '2! having an aperture 22 in its top axially of the pipe sections II and I2.

A relatively long valve stem 23 extends through the aperture 22 and also through an axially aligned aperture 24 in the valve seat l9. The stem 23 is provided with a ball valve 25 which normally engages the seat is and the upper end portion of stem 23 is threaded for a substantial distance as indicated at 2s and on which is a valve adjusting nut 2?.

The pipe section 12 is also provided with a water outlet pipe as which opens into section l2 adjacent its upper end and between the valve seat i9 and the cap nut 22 and the pipe section 12 is provided with a bowl refill tube '29 which opens into pipe section l2 in substantially horizontal alignment with the base end of water outlet pipe 28. The refill tube extends into an overflow pipe 0. A float supporting lever arm as has its base end suitably pivotally connected to pipe section i2 and which is preferably effected by means of a band 31 extending partially around pipe section l2 and suitably secured thereto. The free ends of the band provide cars 32 between which lateral extension of lever arm as are pivoted as at 33.

The free end of lever arm as is threaded as at 3:3 for removable connection therewith of a float F.

The valve seat is on the free end of the water discharge pipe I? is engageable by a ball valve 35 which is controlled by the float F substantially in the following manner. The ball valve 35 is freely supported on a conforming seat 36 in a plate 31.

A yoke 38 extends transversely of the lever arm 38 and is preferably provided with an aperture 39 through which the arm extends with suflicient play for the angularity of the arm in flushed position with respect to the yoke. A pair of laterally spaced rods 46 have their lower ends suitably rigidly secured to plate 31 at opposite points thereon. The rods extend vertically through lower guide eyes 4| suitably supported by opposite sides of the water discharge pipe I! and upper guide eyes 42 supported by a band 13 encircling pipe section I! and suitably secured thereto. The rods 40 thence extend through apertures 45 adjacent opposite ends of yoke 38.

The upper end portions of rods M] are threaded as at 5 and nuts $55 and i? on said threaded end portions frictionall engage the upper and lower faces of yoke 38 for a purpose later to appear.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. l, the operation of the improved. structure is as follows- When the tank T is filled with water to a predetermined level the fioat supporting lever arm 39 will be in the position shown in solid lines and the valves 25, 35 will be closed as indicated in solid lines.

Upon a flushing operation of the tank by the well known means (not shown) the float F will descend with. the descending level of water in the tank with a corresponding downward move ment of lever arm 30 to a position substantially as indicated in dotted lines. This downward movement of the lever arm 38 will move plate 31 downwardly to the dotted line position thereby freeing the valve 35 whereupon the water in supply pipe H moving in the direction of arrow a will also travel through discharge pipe ii in the direction of arrow b and into the tank T.

The free flow of water through the discharge pipe I! will result in a reduced pressure in pipe it with the result that valve 25 together with its stem 23 will fall by gravity to a position substantially as indicated by dotted lines.

Water will accordingly freely flow through both discharge pipes ii and 23 as indicated by arrows b and c during the rise of the float F and which will be substantially rapid due to the combined cross sectional areas of both discharge pipes, and since the flow equals the square root of the pressure multiplied by the area the tank will fill in substantially less time than is required by structures now in use or as proposed in the patent referred to.

It is to be further noted that the refill tube 29 is also controlled by valve 25 and water flows through same into the bowl as long as water is being discharged into the tank from the pipe 28. When the float F reaches upper position valve 35 will close the discharge pipe I! with a resulting reestablishnient of the pressure in supply pipe it and which will rapidly move the valve 25 to closed position, thereby simultaneously terminating flow of water through the pipe 28 and refill tube 2%.

The level of water in the tank T may be varied upon adjustment of nuts it} and. on the rods 4e which adjustment varies the position of the float F relative to the bottom of the tank T. Furthermore, the position of valve 25 in its open position can be varied for most cincient operation by adjusting the nut 2? on the threaded portion 26 of the valve stem 23.

The two part supply pipe construction provides for ready renewal of the valve seat is or grinding thereof since the pipe sections ii and 52 can readily be separated upon loosening nut is and releasing yoke 38 from the rods While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a single specific structural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illu trative only, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined in the sub-joined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a flush tank, a vertically disposed water supply pipe therein, a normally closed valve in the supply pipe intermediate the ends thereof, a water discharge pipe cornmunicating with said supply pipe below said valve, a float controlled valve normally closing said discharge pipe, and a second water discharge pipe together with a refill tube communicating with said water supply pipe above the valve therein for discharging into said tank.

2. The structure according to claim 3., wherein said first valve comprises a valve seat member within said water supply pipe having an aperture disposed axially of the pipe and a spherically surfaced seat in the lower face of the valve seat member surrounding the aperture, the upper end of said pipe being provided with an aperture axially aligned with said first aperture, an elongated valve stem extending through said apertures and having a free end disposed above the upper end of the supply pipe, and a valve seat engageable member on the lower end of said stem.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein said first water discharge pipe communicates with said water supply pipe at a positiorlf closely beneath said valve seat member, and said valve stem having its free end portion threaded, and a nut adjustably supported on the threaded portion and engageable with the upper end of the water supply pipe upon downward movement of said valve seat engageable member as induced by reduced water pressure occasioned by opening of the float controlled valve, the said valve seat engageable member in its lowered inoperative position being adjustably supported in positions within the water supply pipe below thelpoint of communication of the first water discharge pipe therewith.

4. In combination with a flush tanl ,'a water supply pipe extending upwardly therein, a water discharge pipe communicating withthe water supply pipe intermediate its ends, said {discharge pipe being provided with a float controlled valve, a second water discharge pipe communicating with said water supply pipe above saidfirst water discharge pipe, and a downwardly opening valve in said water supply pipe between the points of communication of said water discharge pipes therewith, said last valve being normally held closed by the water pressure within the water supply pipe, and being gravity biased to an open Ill position under reduced water pressure within the water supply pipe upon opening of said first valve occasioned by downward movement of the float following a flushing operation of the tank.

5. The structure according to claim 4, wherein said water supply pipe comprises a pair of readily separable sections, and said second valve comprising a seat memberremovably supported in an end of one of said sections.

6. The structure according to claim 4, wherein said float controlled valve comprises a spherically surfaced seat on the free end of said first water discharge pipe, a ball valve member engageable with said seat, a float supporting lever arm having one end thereof pivotally connected .i tions between said plate and said yoke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,324,844 Olson Dec. 16, 1919 1,442,206 Witherspoon Jan. 16, 1923 

